


The Physical Presence of Someone You Love

by valda



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: High School, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 05:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3639312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valda/pseuds/valda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm just <em>saying</em>, I'm going to die <em>alooooone</em>," Cecil moaned, collapsing across the lunch table.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Physical Presence of Someone You Love

**Author's Note:**

> I had some Earl feels today

"I'm just _saying_ , I'm going to die _alooooone_ ," Cecil moaned, collapsing across the lunch table.

"You're fifteen, Gershwin," Leann said. Leann was the only one who ever called Cecil "Gershwin". She'd thought it was funny since elementary school. Cecil had _not_ , but eventually Earl had convinced him that it was actually a pretty cool middle name...better than Steve's, anyway. "You have your whole _life_ ahead of you. What's the rush?"

"I want to be in _loooooove_ ," Cecil whined, pressing his head into the cool plastic of the table. "I want to get _married_. I want to wear a fancy white dress and walk down the aisle and have a handsome man bind his soul to mine in a _dark, elaborate ritual_."

"And that's _fine_ ," Leann said, "but again, what's the rush?"

"Your value doesn't depend on somebody loving you," Pamela put in. "You don't need a man to be worth something."

"That is not _even_ what I'm _saying_ , _okay_?" Cecil sat up, crossing his arms. "Look, you two have already dated _plenty_. But I _haven't_. I haven't found _anyone_."

"You will, though!" came a chipper voice from the other end of the long table. "You just have to be patient!"

"Nobody asked you, _Steve_ ," Cecil snarled. " _Why_ do you always sit at our table?"

Earl was quiet. Sometimes, he knew, Cecil just needed to talk. To let the universe know that he existed, that he was feeling emotions. Cecil didn't want to be debated out of feeling sad. He didn't want someone to offer a solution.

That was a shame, because Earl had one.

His childhood friend flailed his arms, tossed his hair, pouted, and complained about how lonely he was, and Earl swallowed against a dry throat and a growing pit in his stomach. His cafeteria lunch sat untouched on the tray in front of him; he couldn't bring himself to force it down, even if lacewing fly grits _was_ one of his favorites.

 _I could do that for you_ , he thought as Cecil and the others continued their animated babbling. _I could love you. I could stand waiting for you at the end of the aisle. I could give you my soul._ He smiled bitterly. _I already have._

"Earl, tell Steve to shut up," Cecil said, breaking into Earl's thoughts.

"Shut up, Steve," Earl said automatically.

Cecil beamed and wrapped himself around Earl's arm. "That's my Earl. I can always count on _you_."

Earl somehow managed a smile, though his eyes didn't quite meet Cecil's. "Yeah," he said. "You can."


End file.
